I do use some Japanese language in places where I think it sounds better. I have tried to include enough context to clue into it's meaning, if not a rough translation itself, within the story. Translations will also be included at the bottom. There will be killing, though not of anyone in the main group, and there are instances where *attempted* rape is mentioned/implied, though not in graphic detail. I'll still put additional warnings up for the latter in relevant chapters. Just because it doesn't trigger me doesn't mean it won't trigger someone else. If I need to make changes, let me know and I'll try to accommodate.

Disclaimer: I do not own Akatsuki no Yona, its plot, nor its characters. I've simply thrown my own original character into the mix because I'm a curious creature and chased a plot bunny down a rabbit hole. I'm stuck. Please send rum.

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He woke up suddenly, unsure why since he doubted he'd been asleep more than a few hours. As he listened to the night sounds, his eyes searching around for any signs of danger, a small whimper reached his ears. His eyes widened slightly in alarm as he hurried to the girl's side, worried that she had woken and was in pain. The low burning embers cast a soft, warm light across her face. Tears shimmered as they trickled down her cheeks, her eyes still closed in sleep. Another whimper, clearly frightened this time, escaped her throat as her shoulders twitched. A bad dream, it seemed. He gently wiped her tears as he panicked internally. What should he do? What could he do? What would he do?

'Ao…'

A faint memory, more feeling than anything, of large hands rubbing his back as he'd cried, his small arms wrapped around a muscular neck, and his face buried in a cascade of silky blue as he hid his tears from the world.

He reached out anxiously, remembering her wounds, before gently placing his hand on her head. He moved his fingers in what he'd hoped was a comforting motion as he softly hummed a tuneless melody. He must have done something right because after a couple minutes, the tears stopped and her breathing evened out again as she calmed. A small bit of pride filled him at his apparently successful attempt and he went back to his spot nearby, laying down to sleep once more.

Or at least, he tried.

He hadn't been asleep more than an hour or two when the whimpering started again. And so it continued all night until finally, in his exhaustion, he had drug his blankets over with him and lay down facing her and stroked her hair as he drifted in and out of consciousness before finally succumbing to sleep once more.

She didn't wake him again the rest of the night, and when his eyes opened the next morning, her hand was fisted in the front of his robes, face peaceful in the early morning light. Unable to bring himself to disturb her, he slipped out of his robe, leaving it with her while he started his day. As breakfast warmed, he'd managed to get through his katas (though he could barely remember doing them at all as tired as he was) and checked on the villagers. He'd had to push his sight further than he'd ever tried before as he assured himself that, despite being gone for so long, the village and its inhabitants were just fine. He had always been careful to avoid being seen, avoiding the fear and hatred he knew he would find in their presence, so he'd doubted they would even realized he was gone. The glimpses he'd gotten were evidence enough that he'd been right.

He told himself it didn't bother him.

While they had breakfast, he went over his to-do list, trying to determine what needed done the most. Rubbing his face tiredly, he quickly decided an afternoon nap was definitely high on his priority list, especially since there was no guarantee tonight wouldn't be more of the same. The linens needed washed as well, along with her bandages once he changed them out for fresh ones. And while they had plenty of firewood for now, thanks to the two bundles he'd gathered the first day, he wanted to stock up as much as possible while the weather was being cooperative. They were overdue for a good storm and he wanted to make sure they were prepared if it hit before making it back to the village. Fortunately, between the area's isolated nature and the lack of rain in the last couple weeks, there was plenty of dry dead wood laying around. They still had a decent amount of meat in the cellar too, so he didn't need to worry about setting any traps right away either. Not that he wouldn't at least try if he did see something to hunt. And though he'd like to have some more variety, the little bit of foraging he'd done already would last until he went to gather wood once more.

Absently running his hands through his hair, he cringed slightly as his fingers snagged, realizing that some sections were still crusted with dried blood.

A bath probably wouldn't hurt either.

Morbidly, he wondered once again how his hair was still blue after all these years, having long ago learned how difficult it was to wash blood stains from his clothes.

Glancing over at the still unconscious girl, his brow furrowed slightly. He should probably give her a proper bath too. He'd cleaned her wounds as well as he could, but a wet cloth wasn't as good as fresh, running water. He decided he would take everything to the hot springs first before carrying her in with him.

Plan in place, he gathered the dirty dishes and linens in a makeshift bag before placing the lid on the now cooled stew and carrying it all inside. The pot went into the cellar and the bag was carried up and sat on the bank next to the hot springs. Returning to camp, he carefully banked the fire then turned to the bag of clean linens and grabbed two blankets to use as towels along with the smallest pants he could find. Placing them on top of the girl, he gently gathered the small body in his arms and carried her inside, bedding and all. Once she was settled comfortably on the ground, he removed the other items from her midsection and placed them in a pile nearby. Turning to the bag he'd brought in earlier, he quickly set to work.

The steam from the hot water at the edge of the pool warmed him, sweat dripping as the dishes were washed and set out to dry on the mossy ground and the linens were scrubbed and piled on a nearby boulder, waiting until he could hang them up to dry later. Next he stripped off his own clothes, all except his undergarments, and soon those joined the rest of the soggy pile. He looked at the girl, debating for a moment before deciding to leave her shirt and bandages on for now and gathered the smaller body in his arms. Making his way to the edge of the water, he tested with his toes until he found a spot where the river and springs met, cooling the water enough to be comfortable against her sensitive skin. He laid her near the edge for a moment, easing himself in first rather than risk slipping and falling with her still in his grasp. Once he was finally seated, he carefully moved her onto his lap. He marveled again at how she felt in his arms, still unable to believe that someone so tiny and light, so seemingly delicate, had managed to take down a man that had probably been at least three times her size.

Shaking his head, he removed her robes while he waited for the warm water to soak the bandages, loosening the blood and scabs as much as possible before unwinding the wraps one by one. In the soft light, he checked each wound carefully, using his nails to gently pick at any dirt and debris he had missed yesterday. There were a couple places where the scabs ripped away, causing tiny dots of red to well up, but nothing compared to that first day. Her stitches were holding up nicely as well. He'd been worried since he hadn't been able to cleanse the needle and thread first, but so far there were no signs of infection and the thread looked like it was holding up well. Using one of the cleaner bandages as a washcloth, he gently wiped the dirt and filth from her body, carefully moving her as needed. He bit his lip softly when it was time to wash her private area, uncertain.

He had seen people naked before. A long time ago, when he was still learning to control his eyes. He'd been.. Three? Four maybe? He'd asked Ao back then, while they were bathing, about why boys and girls were different. He'd never gotten an answer, and he'd never asked again. Ao had been so angry, he'd worried the older man's hair would turn as red as his face. He could barely remember Ao's face anymore, but he remembered that. He also remembered Ao scolding him, telling him that it was bad to look inside the houses at people, especially when they had no clothes on. He remembered being told that spying on the villagers would make them hate him more. He'd been extra careful not to do it again, even though he'd still been curious.

Ao had been equally angry when he'd asked Ao why their privates looked different, even though they were both boys.

'Just keep your hands and eyes to yourself, brat! They're called 'privates' for a reason!'

Focusing on the present once more, he debated what to do. He didn't want this girl to hate him but he also knew that if he didn't keep her clean, she could get sick or end up with an infection...

He was torn for a moment before sighing in resignation. Once she knew what he was, she'd hate him anyway, but for now she was his responsibility. Ao never shirked from his duties, no matter what, and neither would he.

He washed what he could reach, trying to be gentle and quick while still making sure she was clean, then he carefully eased her onto the ledge beside him until her head laid in his lap. With both hands now free, he rinsed the grime from her hair and gently worked the sticks and other debris from the dark strands until they ran silky smooth between his fingers. Once he was finally satisfied with his work, he lifted her out of the water, laying her on her stomach on the mossy ground before covering her bottom and thighs with one of the blankets he'd brought. He left her feet hanging over the edge of the pool, allowing him to clean them like he had her hands before lifting her legs and scooting her over until she was laying completely on the ground. He would rebandage her later. For now, a little exposure to the open air would be good for her wounds.

He waded through the increasingly heated water over to the banks he'd knelt at earlier, finally removing his undergarments and adding them to the pile of remaining linens, letting them soak in the shallows for now while he bathed himself. The hot water seemed to seep through his flesh and into the core of his bones. Having always been a "cold" person, he was pretty sure he had never felt this warm and comfortable in his entire life. He turned, facing out of the pool, and laid his head on his arms on the edge of the rocky ledge, his legs floating slightly behind him. He had other things he should be doing, he knew, but for right now, just this once, he wanted to indulge himself. He sighed softly, letting his muscles relax as the water gently swirled around him, caressing his skin and soothing his overworked body.

When he realized he was about to fall asleep, he sat up once more and quickly finished his bath, scrubbing at his skin and hair until the lumps in his hair were gone and the cloth came away clean. He grabbed the remaining pile of linens and quickly washed them as well before climbing reluctantly out of the water. He dried himself quickly and pulled the pants on, tying them around his waist and rolling the bottoms up enough he wouldn't step on them. He grit his teeth as he gathered the now cold, wet, squishy pile of clothes to his bare chest, breathing in sharply when they came into contact with his currently overheated skin. Walking quickly, he made his way outside to the clothes line he'd rigged yesterday.

Dropping everything onto the ground nearby, the dry items were pulled off and placed in a second pile before he gently wrung the wet linens one last time and hung them up in their place where the wind and sun could dry them. That done, he collected the dry linens from the ground and went back to camp, carefully folding and packing each piece away, minus some of the bandages and wraps. Those he set aside next to a clean blanket he'd laid out to place the girl on once he was through along with a fresh shirt for each of them, her own robes still needing mending. He slung a carry bag over his shoulder and returned to the springs, packing up the dishes before wrapping his charge in the blanket and carrying both back outside. Sitting near the items he'd laid out, he wrapped her wounds gently and dressed her in the fresh shirt he'd picked out for her before easing her on to the makeshift bed.

He heated up the stew again, more to feed the girl than himself, and quickly had everything washed and put away once more. He pulled on one of the smaller shirts, the short sleeves still reaching past his elbows, and tied it closed before the exhausted boy finally laid down. He took no time finding a soft, shady spot and moments after his eyes closed, his breathing evened out as he drifted off to sleep.

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